As an alternative to Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) systems, cellular phone networks have proliferated over the last decades, where users with cellular phones have access to one or more networks at almost any location. Also a recent development is the wide spread use of Voice over IP (VOIP) telephony, which uses internet protocol (IP) over wired and wireless networks. With the availability of such diverse types of communication networks and devices capable of taking advantage of various features of these networks, enhanced communication systems bring different communication networks together providing until now unavailable functionality such as combining various modes of communication (e.g. instant messaging, voice calls, video communications, etc.). This technology is also referred to as unified communications (UC). A network of servers manages end devices capable of handling a wide range of functionality and communication while facilitating communications between the more modern unified communication network devices and other networks (e.g. PSTN, cellular, etc.).
Enhanced communication systems provide multi-modal communications and other services employing a number of physical and virtual servers and specialized devices. In some cases, generic local machines (servers) may be configured with special roles within the topology of the system and become specialized servers providing distinct functionality. Deployment of such a system and its topology can be relatively complex as more features and roles are added. Administration not only needs to be able to install particular roles, but also to ensure that correct roles are installed and necessary to provide the required functionality. In a large system environment (e.g. thousands of users), dozens of machines may need to be installed with an error proof and efficient process.